1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for a multi form-factor pluggable transceiver, an optical module assembly including the electrical connector and the multi form-factor pluggable transceiver, and a data communication system including the electrical connector.
2. Discussion of the Background
FIG. 1 shows a conventional electrical connector for a conventional single form-factor pluggable transceiver. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional electrical connector 200 is manufactured by, for example, Tyco Electronics Corp under a part number 1367073-1. The conventional electrical connector 200, which is provided on a printed circuit board 240, has a single entry slot 210 with twenty electrical pins which are transmitter electrical pins and receiver electrical pins. The single entry slot 210 accepts a single-tier integrated circuit card of a mating portion of the conventional single form-factor pluggable transceiver.
FIGS. 2–5 show a conventional single form-factor pluggable transceiver which is manufactured by, for example, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. under a part number SCP6812-GL. The conventional single form-factor pluggable transceiver is also called as a conventional small form-factor pluggable transceiver by persons skilled in the art. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the conventional small form-factor pluggable transceiver 250 is provided with a two-channel optical fiber body 262 between an optical fiber adapter 260 and a diode module 268. The two-channel optical fiber body 262, which is shown by partially exposed top plan views in FIGS. 2 and 3, is provided with a single optical transmitter channel Tx0 and a single optical receiver channel Rx0 which are extending through the two-channel optical fiber body 262. FIG. 4 shows a front view of the optical fiber adapter 260 which is an interface optically connectable at a front surface to a two-channel optical fiber array. The optical fiber adapter 260 is optically connected at an opposite surface to one end of the two-channel optical fiber body 262.
FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a mating portion 270 of the conventional small form-factor pluggable transceiver 250. The mating portion 270 is provided with a single-tier integrated circuit card 280 which is electrically connected to an opposite end of the two-channel optical fiber body 262. The single-tier integrated circuit card 280 has transmitter electrical pads and receiver electrical pads. A pad layout of the single-tier integrated circuit card 280 electrically matches with pin definitions of the electrical connector 200 to electrically connect the single optical transmitter channel Tx0 and the single optical receiver channel Rx0 to the printed circuit board 240.
FIG. 6 shows a conventional cage assembly in which the conventional electrical connector 200 and the conventional small form-factor pluggable transceiver 250 are fixed. Referring to FIG. 6, the conventional cage assembly 242 includes a lower cage 244 which is fixed on the printed circuit board 240, and an upper cage 246 which covers the lower cage 244. The conventional electrical connector 200 is fixed at a closed end portion of the conventional cage assembly 242, and electrically connected to the printed circuit board 240. The conventional small form-factor pluggable transceiver 250 is inserted to the conventional cage assembly 242 from an open end portion so that the single-tier integrated circuit card 280 of the mating portion 270 is further inserted to the single entry slot 210 of the conventional electrical connector 200. An actuator 248 locks the conventional small form-factor pluggable transceiver 250 to the conventional cage assembly 242.
The conventional electrical connector, the conventional small form-factor pluggable transceiver and the conventional cage assembly are constructed according to specifications defined, for example, in Small Form-Factor Pluggable Transceiver MultiSource Agreement dated Sep. 14, 2000.